CiTi Launches 1st Virtual Reality Community in South Africa

The Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi) has launched the first Virtual Reality community in South Africa, at the Bandwidth Barn, Cape Town.

According to a press release by CiTi, the event was packed with a cross section of media, graphic designers and architects, gamers and game developers, coders and venture capitalists, film as well as technology and innovation enthusiasts.

Ian Merrington, CEO of CiTi, said in his welcome speech, “Tech and innovation are no longer about isolated development or working in silos. Rather it is a catalyst bringing together industries, disciplines and mediums in our quest to innovate and create. The Virtual Reality community is a first in the country and we are proud to continue CiTi’s tradition of technology, innovation and inclusive growth through this new initiative.”

Glenn Gillis, managing director of Sea Monster – an animation studio in Cape Town that has a Virtual Reality project in full development, and has formed a partnership with Angel Hub for seed funding – spoke about the importance of balancing up the possibilities offered by the new technology. “Of course, for this to be more than just a fad,” said Glenn, “these new platforms will have to find ways to balance great creative ideas, with the realities of what the technology can deliver, with key business or social outcomes, with creating entertaining and satisfying user experiences.”

Grant de Sousa and Tyrone Rubin from Virtual Reality SA spoke on the current climate of VR globally as well as the future of Virtual Reality and the potential for applications in business and entertainment. “The overwhelming success of the launch is testament to the power and attraction of Virtual Reality,” says Grant. “Our message then and now is clear: To drive South Africa’s first virtual reality community forward with like-minded ambitious people through one word: passion. As a team will continue to drive the community forward as South Africans in the virtual reality space, not only as followers but, ultimately, as leaders in the virtual reality community, globally.”

Together with their partner, Richard Ramsbottom, they are bringing their expertise in coding, their passion for VR and their vision for its application in South Africa to this new Virtual Reality community. “Our aim is to collaborate with likeminded people in a synergistic forum that will encourage big-thinking, ideas, solutions and bigger, more effective results,” says Tyrone.

According to Chis Vermeulen, Head of Enterprise Development at Barn, “We’d like to see Cape Town on the leading edge of VR development in the world.

Telkom and CiTi support the Virtual Reality community by providing space, broadband, skills and mentorship. The community will meet once a month at the Barn and continue to share ideas, learn, grow and build together.”

The event also featured the display of virtual reality technologies. Google Cardboard, for Android brought virtual reality to smartphones. Oculus Rift, developed by 22 year old Palmer Luckey from Silicon Valley and subsequently bought by Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, was also on demonstration and had a queue around the room of delegates who wanted to experience Virtual Reality.

The next Virtual Reality community event will be in a month’s time, and will follow on a monthly basis at the Bandwidth Barn.